There is a faction of NBA players who are not comfortable with a return to action at the end of July, as much due to the risk such a resumption presents in a pandemic as its optics create in the midst of ongoing racially-motivated civil rest, reports Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes.
Turner Sports’ Taylor Rooks relates that a group of 50 players who recently held a conference call to discuss potential responses to this situation plan a much larger meeting of 150 or so players to clarify what sort of stand they should take.
Former Boston Celtic Kyrie Irving has been a “driving force” behind these calls, according to Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck, who relates players want more freedom of movement.
MORE: I've spoken to multiple players, about 5 days ago there was a zoom call of about 50 players discussing what they can do to take a stand. They are planning another call tonight with about 150 players to solidify what that stand is and stress this only works if they unify. https://t.co/FsklmAiD1I
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) June 12, 2020
Beck also shares that at least one agent he has been in conversation with in the issue relates up to two-thirds of the top-40 players in the league would refuse to play under the current plan.
Haynes relates players are upset they did not have more of a voice in such an important decision, made by the National Basketball Players Association executive committee and its board of representatives, rather than by a rank-and-file vote.
Additionally, the emergence of the movement springing from the killing of George Floyd has also raised significant concerns about the appearance of a majority-African American league sacrificing three months of their lives in quarantine to entertain a majority white audience with players.
“What message are we sending by agreeing to this during this time?” an anonymous African American player told Haynes. “We’re out here marching and protesting, and yet we all leave our families in these scary times and gather to perform at a place where the owners won’t be at?”
“What type of sense does that make? We’ll be going backwards. That place isn’t that magical,” they added.
Shams: NBA 'planning to allow … up to 17 players' per team at Disney https://t.co/a2qA48wS7i via @thecelticswire
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 11, 2020
Irving in particular has taken on a leadership role in this faction, who are reportedly hesitant to push back against some of the stars of the league who have gone on record to support a return to action with precautions in place.
For now, there is an agreement pending that would see players able to opt out of the return if they feel compelled to stay home for any reason, though that player would not be paid a portion of their salary due them if they did opt out of the return.
[lawrence-related id=36806,36796,36763,36764]